FOI 2024 021- Sexual health queries

Information Requested:

I wanted to put in a freedom of information request about:

Whether or not Wales has the same issue of running out of free condoms

Whether there has been a decrease in school nurses due to budget cuts

Whether there is any information or stats to back up a sexual health crisis in Wales

Information provided for the answer:

Thank you for your request dated 29th January 2024.

Whether or not Wales has the same issue of running out of free condoms

Wales does not have an issue of running out of free condoms. Free condoms can be accessed from

sexual health services in Wales
From the Test and Post service as part of the kit ordering (Wales STI Testing Kit | Test and Post (shwales.online))
From the SHWales website ‘postal ordering’ for those who just want condoms:
If aged 13-25 years then there are a number of condom card schemes throughout Wales where free condoms can be sourced as well (C-Card Centres | C-Card Scheme (cccymru.co.uk))

Whether there has been a decrease in school nurses due to budget cuts

Public Health Wales do not hold this information.

PHW is the public health service for Wales and as such is an independent NHS Trust. As an organisation we have no jurisdiction over the activities of Health Boards or other NHS Wales organisations and frequently do not have access to the data that they produce. For information held by other organisations,

I have provided contact details for the health boards below; you will need to contact them individually for information relating to school nurses.

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board

http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/866/page/39187

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board

http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/861/page/39134

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

http://www.cardiffandvaleuhb.wales.nhs.uk/freedom-of-information-new

Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board

https://cwmtafmorgannwg.wales/foi/

Swansea Bay University Health Board

https://sbuhb.nhs.wales/about-us1/foia/

Hywel Dda University Health Board

http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/862/page/52085

Powys Teaching Health Board

http://www.powysthb.wales.nhs.uk/freedom-of-information

Whether there is any information or stats to back up a sexual health crisis in Wales

Wales is experiencing a high level of STIs as in the other UK nations. Data is provided covering the period to the end of 2022 in the annual report that was published in July 2023: (https://phw.nhs.wales/publications/publications1/sexual-health-annual-report-2023/ ).

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your request and wish to make a complaint or request a review of the decision, you should write to the Corporate Complaints Manager, Public Health Wales NHS Trust, 3, Number 2, Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street, Cardiff, CF10 4BZ.

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint or review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints procedure provided by the Trust. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner for Wales
2nd Floor
Churchill House
Churchill Way
Cardiff
CF10 2HH

Telephone: 029 2067 8400
Email: wales@ico.org.uk